1 October 2010 - Inside American Football

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multi-institution ban, the Mariners beat division
rivals and eventual semi-finalists Hertfordshire to
the Conference 4 North title, and easily took the
consolation Challenge Trophy. Featuring an allrounder
Quarterback who can pass in and out of the
pocket as well as run, there was much pondering
of the outcome should it have been Greenwich in
Hertfordshire’s place against Birmingham in the
playoffs. However, so long as that ban remains
in place, the Mariners will be forced to look only
towards another Challenge Trophy, and the playoffs
will be tinted with a shadowy “what-if?”.
T’up North, last season saw perennial favourites
Newcastle beaten in the second round of playoffs
by an excellent Glasgow side. The Raiders will look
to swiftly avenge such a disappointment, and they –
and the wider community – can expect to see them
fighting for the North again next year. The 72 – 0
obliteration of Edinburgh in the first playoff match is
a loud warning siren of that.
Glasgow seemed to come from nowhere last year,
dominating the supposedly weak “Scottish” division
to an 8 – 0 seasons with 311 points on the board.
Written off because of such an ‘easy’ regular season,
a 42 – 0 victory over Durham should have been the
warning Newcastle needed. The Tigers will look to
build on such excellent progress next year, and will
certainly be fighting among the playoff sides, but
they will no longer be considered an underdog. They
did meet their match in the Loughborough Aces, and
the drubbing they received shows there is a long way
to go before we have a Champion from north of the
border.
The Aces were another team believed to overachieve
last year. Considered the third team in the
north behind the Hallam Warriors and Newcastle
Raiders, the Aces brushed a tough division and
playoff schedule aside to make it to the final with
genuine credit to their name, and a lot of serious
support against the seemingly unbeatable Lions. It
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was only towards the end of the season
that their secret became clear – and
“Fast-Boat mentality” will go down
in Loughborough’s already extensive
sporting legend. The players and
coaches of the Aces approached every
decision with the question: “Does it
make the boat go faster?” (a metaphor
borrowed from the British Olympic
rowers, in which the boat is, in this
case, the team), a psychology which
helped them achieve the vaunted
successes of last season. Such hard
work and dedication was applauded
throughout the league, and the Aces
have earned a reputation as the
neutrals’ favourite.
A great many teams can compete for
the two coveted spots in Sixfields
Stadium in 2011, although there is a
lingering sense (a two year record of
24 – 0 does that to a community) that
Birmingham will be booking their
coach early. That is the beauty of the
playoff system though – it only takes
one defeat to put another team there,
and the Lions will miss sooner or later.
The other contenders, however, are
very evenly matched, and as the old
guard fades and new teams grow, there
could easily be a champion next year
not discussed here.
Whoever wins in the end, the exciting
and competitive BUAFL is waiting
to begin, with more heroics and new
villains, unbelievable plays and heartin-mouth
goal-line stands, and most
importantly, plenty of cheerleaders to
grab a cheeky drink with afterwards!
...Peter D Barker
October 2010 - Inside American Football
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